Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo did not receive an application form for the hill sheep compensation package in view of the fact they did destock in the years 1998 to 2000; when an application form will issue to them; and when they will receive their payment. [39995/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Single Payment Scheme regulations the entitlements of herd-owners who destocked in order to comply with an Agri-Environmental measure can be calculated using an alternative reference period if this is more beneficial. The case of the person named was reviewed under this measure and his entitlements were re-calculated to take full account of destocked sheep. A supplementary payment issued to the person named on 19th October 2006.

A special category was included under the provisions of the 2005 National Reserve to cater for sheep farmers with commonage land who were prevented from expanding their sheep production prior to or during the 2000-2002 reference period pending publication of the Commonage Framework Plans in 2002. The farmers concerned must have had a stocking density of less than 0.45 livestock units per hectare in 2001 and their existing Single Payment must have been less than €6,000. Individual farmers were free to make an application under this measure but application forms were not automatically sent to farmers. No application from the person named was received under this measure. However, the person named is not eligible for qualification under the National Reserve category for Hill Farmers as his existing Single Payment is greater than €6,000.